The Nigerian government on Wednesday has finally declared all bandit groups operating in Nigeria as terrorists.
Recall that Abubakar Malami, SAN, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, as a guest on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA)’s ‘Good Morning Nigeria’ programme had said his office was working on gazetting a court judgment that ordered the government to declare bandits terrorists.
DAILY GIST has obtained the gazette, which was signed by Malami on Wednesday.
On November 26, 2021, Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja granted an ex parte application by the federal government for Yan Bindiga (Hausa word for gunmen) and Yan Ta’adda (Hausa word for terrorists) to be declared terrorists.
According to the gazette, the Federal Government said, “the activities of Yan Bindiga Group, Yan Ta’adda Group and other similar groups in Nigeria are declared to be terrorism and illegal in any part of Nigeria, especially in the North-West and North Central Regions of Nigeria and are proscribed, pursuant to sections 1 and 2 of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011”.
Based on the declaration, the Federal Government warned against participating in the activities of bandit groups will be prosecuted.
It said “any person or group of persons participating in any manner whatsoever in any form of activities involving or concerning the prosecution of the collective intentions or otherwise of the groups” proscribed and declared terrorists will be violating the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 and liable to prosecution.
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